The OLA sun article also mentions that the OLA is looking for candidates in Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry and "one up in the Grey-Bruce" area, which indicate either Simcoe-Grey, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, or Huron-Bruce.

I've heard around the rumour mill that Mississauga city councillor Pat Mullin might consider jumping into the Mississauga South nomination race, but she has registered to run for re-election, so I dunno about that.

Anyone know of anyone else planning a run under the Hudak banner to drive McFibber out?

Arlene White, the executive director of the Binational Tourism Alliance has officially declared.

Speaking of the Falls, I forgot to post this in my first post:
http://www.niagarafallsreview......?e=2488449
Niagara Falls mayor Ted Salci has long been rumoured to be interested in the PC nomination, and Sandy Annunziata has also shown an interest.

( the liberal mpp for Glengary Prescott Russell has indicated in this article he will not run again in 2011 , the riding is conservative at the federal level but never been a strong riding for the ontario pc's and has a large french population which leans liberal but as its looks like its going to be vacant in 2011 it defintiy becomes a riding to watch as when it was vacant in 2006 federal election it flipped from liberal to conservative . )

Community dignitaries attend MPP’s annual Trillium dinner
Alfred-Plantagenet, ONPrescott-Russell, ONGovernmentTop Stories
Dateline:
ALFRED
Justin Bromberg
Local politicians and notable community members were just some of the roughly 200 guests on hand at Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MPP Jean-Marc Lalonde's annual Trillium dinner last Wednesday, May 19, at the Knights of Columbus in Alfred.

This year's dinner, focused on the theme of childhood, featured Laurel C. Broten, the provincial minister of children and youth services, as its guest of honour. MPP Lalonde and federal Liberal candidate Julie Bourgeois, among others, joined her at the head table.

Speaking at the podium, Lalonde indicated his current term at the provincial assembly would be his last and reflected on his 15 years at Queen's Park, as well as another 25 years in municipal politics.

"I have to tell you, dear friends, I enjoyed every minute of it," he said, thanking municipal mayors and councilors for their combined effort in helping Glengarry-Prescott-Russell receive its "fair share" of provincial funding.

The MPP said he looked forward to the opening of Calypso Park, this June 7, as well as the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo in September 2011 - an event he suggested would bring over 100,000 people to eastern Ontario.

He announced a toast to the "youth and students of the future," whom will respond to the challenges and issues of the coming years.

Introducing Minister Broten as "a tireless advocate for women and children," Lalonde welcomed her to the podium and to the local region, a place he referred to as "the gateway to Ontario."

In turn, she responded with kind words, saying her colleague was an "advocate" for the local community and is readily listened to at Queen's Park. Stressing her own interest in the French language and culture, she said Lalonde was also "someone who encourages people to speak French and learn French" within the provincial assembly.

( and another candidate for the ont pc nomination in Haliburton Kawartha Lakes Brock )

Transportation a priority for candidate
Dorothy Sanderson of Cannington is fourth candidate to seek local provincial PC nomination

"You can't build a house or a road if you don't have a way of [delivering] that product. People have no idea the amount of money the trucking industry puts into the economy." (BROCK) You might say Dorothy Sanderson's motto is 'keep on truckin'."
The Cannington resident is the fourth person to seek the Progressive Conservative nomination in Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. She says farming and trucking are priorities for her and her focus "is on business and commerce."

She is particularly against the speed limits imposed on trucks in a business where lost time is lost money, she said.

"I've always been anti-speed limiting," she said, adding she once spoke at Queen's Park on the issue, which she says costs truckers money.

Born and raised in an Uxbridge farming family, Ms Sanderson is a mother of three, grandma to six and has spent her life involved in both farming and trucking industries; she and her husband operate a general freight trucking business. "I grew up on a farm and am a 4-H girl," she laughed. "And, I've been an owner/operator in trucking for years."

Ms Sanderson said she believes before industry and commerce can be improved in the riding, transportation must be addressed. Trucking is crucial to the area, she pointed out, not only for agriculture, but the aggregate industry.

"You can't build a house or a road if you don't have a way of [delivering] that product. People have no idea the amount of money the trucking industry puts into the economy."

She believes, she said, transportation and commerce interact as crucial components, particularly in a riding such as this.

She said trucking companies are extremely challenged, especially with the speed limits and the upcoming HST. "No one will give us any answers on how the HST is going to affect [trucking]," she said.

Ms Sanderson emphasized she does not advocate "driving down the road like idiots." But, she insisted the 'time is money' factor of trucking presents a real challenge.

"A doctor who is behind in his appointments still makes his money. But, if we're behind [schedule] and don't make an appointment, we could lose a day's pay."

She added that currently, truckers at loading docks must spend two hours there before charging for time.

"Do you realize we're the only industry forced to give up time for free?" she asked. "I don't believe people should work for nothing."

Ms Sanderson said she would also "like to see farmers get more."

"They are the stewards of the land; if you don't look after the land, the land won't look after you."

She would also like to see Highway 12 between Whitby and Orillia widened to four lanes.

Asked why she decided to seek the nomination, Ms Sanderson said her active campaigning on behalf of truckers prompted many people to suggest she run. A longtime PC supporter, she said she has met party leader Tim Hudak and his family, and they "represent family values."

"And, family values are very important to me."

Ms Sanderson said she's already begun travelling through the riding "so I can meet more people." She can be reached at 432-2927.

( Julia Munro plans to run again in York Simcoe , somewhat of a surprise as she has had some health issues over the years )

MPP announces re-election bid
Julia Munro seeks PC nomination

In a meeting with the York-Simcoe riding executive, MPP Julia Munro has announced she intends to once again seek the Progressive Conservative nomination to run in the next provincial election, scheduled for October 2011.

“I am very proud to have served the people of this area in the legislature for the last 15 years,” Ms Munro said. “When I see the McGuinty government breaking promises, raising taxes and driving up our debt, I am ready to take them on in another election.

“Under the leadership of Tim Hudak, the PC Party is determined, disciplined and focused on bringing change to Ontario,” she said.

Ms Munro currently serves as PC caucus critic for small business, consumer services and red tape.

She previously served as critic for culture, children and youth services, municipal affairs and community and social services.

Between 1995 and 2002, Ms Munro served as parliamentary assistant first to the premier, then in the ministries of transportation, culture and the management board.

During her years in government, she led government reviews of the voluntary sector, the Heritage Act, program evaluation and regulatory changes in transportation.

“My priority is serving the needs of my constituents who send me to work for them at Queen’s Park,” Ms Munro said. “I know that the work we do at the legislature affects the lives of everyone in Ontario and I want to use my experience as a legislator to make Ontario a better place for all of its residents.”

The York-Simcoe Progressive Conservative Association will likely hold its nomination meeting this fall.

Chudleigh gets nod to seek re-election next year. Halton MPP Ted Chudleigh accepts the nomination to run for re-election in October, 2011. Gary Dias / Special to the Champion He’s aiming to make it at least 20 straight years in his second life as a politician.

Halton’s Progressive Conservative MPP Ted Chudleigh, who worked in the food industry before being elected to public office in 1995, has accepted his party’s nomination to run for the fifth straight time in the October, 2011 provincial election.

Chudleigh was the only member of the Halton riding association seeking the nomination, and his election was unanimous.

However, that didn’t blunt the excitement or appreciation of Chudleigh, who was joined by his wife, Sandy, as well as children and grandchildren at the nomination meeting June 10 at the Best Western Hotel.

“Ontario is on the precipice,” Chudleigh said during his acceptance speech at the meeting attended by approximately two dozen local PC party members. “We’re at the point in our history where we’re looking for a change.”

That change would be a return to the past, specifically the Tory years in government following Mike Harris’s Common Sense Revolution, he outlined.

“That government had integrity,” said Chudleigh, flanked by current PC leader Tim Hudak, both of whom were elected as rookie MPPs on June 8, 1995.

“I was going to make a joke, Ted, that you and I celebrated our anniversary, our 15th year anniversary,” said Hudak in his congratulations speech to Chudleigh. “But so there aren’t going to be any rumours spreading around or cause Sandy any kind of disquiet, let me clarify it’s the election victory anniversary.”

Chudleigh, who won by an incredible 20,738 votes in 1999, lost ground in the subsequent two elections. In 2007, he barely edged Liberal candidate Gary Zemlak by 894 votes. However, Chudleigh said his entire party is ready to do battle behind Hudak next year.

“We are re-energized,” he said.

Chudleigh said there are four things his party would do if re-elected to office. They include:

• Enacting fair taxation that’s competitive with other jurisdictions, including large states like California and Texas

• Reducing the regulatory burden on business

• Bringing in “fair and balanced” labour laws. “Management should manage the company,” he said.

• Reducing the cost of government

Ontario’s problem isn’t revenues, it’s spending, Chudleigh said. He also criticized the current government for creating a “nanny state” that has banned pesticides and pit bulls.

Born in the former Peel County, Chudleigh obtained a bachelor of science degree from Michigan State University in 1965 before working in the food industry, including at the Ministry of Agriculture, for the next three decades.

He’s the nephew of former Mississauga MPP Doug Kennedy and grandson of Tom (T.L.) Kennedy, who served in the legislature for 40 years and was briefly the province’s premier in the late 1940s.

It’s unknown who Chudleigh will face off against in the next election. Paul Virdo, the president of the Liberal Party’s Halton riding association, said he doesn’t expect a nomination race to open until at least after the municipal elections this fall.

Pat Heroux ran as the NDP’s candidate in the last provincial election. However, she was recently nominated as the party’s candidate for the next federal election.

Todd McCarthy, a law partner of Flaherty/Elliott and a regional judge, was nominated a few nights ago in Ajax-Pickering.

Interesting to see how the G-P-R nomination shapes out for the both OLP and PCPO. The federal Liberals had a 4 person nomination race for that riding last summer, wonder if any of the losers of that would take a crack at the provincial nod? Ken Hill, the mayor of Russell township, would be the most high profile, and it would be interesting to see if his fellow mayor Denis Pommainville of The Nation who was the PCPO candidate in 2007 takes another run.

Without an incumbant candidate, if the GPO finds a strong candidate (although apparently Shane Jolley isn't running again), and gets some momentum from their leader running next door, this could set up and interesting PCPO/GPO match-up next election.

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forumYou can attach files in this forumYou can download files in this forum